The present disclosure relates generally to a system for mounting solar modules.
Solar module racks are used to mount solar modules onto different types of roofs and grounds areas to form a photovoltaic array. Constructing or otherwise assembling the photovoltaic arrays is challenging for many different reasons. The photovoltaic arrays are located in outside environments and thus must be designed to withstand the outside elements. The photovoltaic arrays must be designed to live long lives. Further, as in most any industry, reducing costs is important and therefore the costs of the parts as well as ease of assembling are important in assembling photovoltaic arrays.
The present disclosure is directed to a system for mounting an array of solar modules comprising a plurality of racks and a plurality of clamps. Each rack has an inclined upper mounting surface adapted to support at least one of the solar modules along an angle and an inclined lower mounting surface configured to support at least one of the other solar modules along an angle. Each upper mounting surface and lower mounting surface defines a slot. One of the clamps is slidably receivable by a respective slot of one of the upper mounting surfaces and configured to secure said at least one of the solar modules to said one of the upper mounting surfaces. One of the other clamps is slidably receivable by a respective slot of one of the lower mounting surfaces and configured to secure said at least one of the other solar modules to said one of the lower mounting surfaces.
Each rack may comprise a tray having a first tower supporting the upper mounting surface, a second tower supporting the lower mounting surface extending generally parallel to the first tower, and a base interconnecting the first tower and the second tower. The first and second towers extend generally perpendicular to the base and the upper mounting surface and lower mounting surface extend at an angle relative to the base. The base may include a plurality of ribs extending between the upper and lower mounting surface configured to elevate ballast placed on the base and provide rigidity to the tray. The tray may have a rounded peripheral edge.
Each of the clamps may include a mounting bracket and each of the first and second towers may include a pair of lateral side walls defining opposed ends of the slot of each tower. The ends having a generally T-shaped cross section to slidingly receive a pair of the respective mounting brackets. Each of the upper and lower mounting surfaces may include a spacer having a pair of opposed sides, each opposed side for abutting a respective solar module to align a pair of the solar modules in a side-by-side manner on said each of the upper and lower mounting surfaces. Each of the spacers may include two portions separated by a respective slot defined by each of the upper and lower mounting surfaces.
The present disclosure is also directed to a method of assembling the array of solar modules with a plurality of the solar modules, racks 14 and clamps by engaging the solar modules and racks as described herein, installing the clamps on the racks as described herein, and clamping the solar modules to the racks as described herein.
Features and advantages of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows and the accompanying drawings described below, wherein an embodiment of the disclosure is described and shown, and in part will become apparent upon examination of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Other aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, wherein similar structures have like or similar reference numerals.